"I like Novak Djokovic in a lot of ways, but it annoys me that he doesn't stand by himself" - Frederik Nielsen

Former Danish tennis pro Frederik Nielsen recently commented on Novak Djokovic, saying it is annoying for him that the Serb is not standing up for himself.

The Serb is all geared up to play at the 2023 edition of the Wimbledon Championships, where he will aim to win his record eighth title. He will also strive to secure his 24th Grand Slam title, which would be another remarkable achievement in his tennis career.

However, before beginning his campaign at SW19, the Belgrade native received some comments from Frederik Nielsen, who sat down for an interview with SpilXPerten.

Nielsen stated that, while he admires Djokovic in many ways, it "annoys" him that the former World No. 1 does not stand up for himself.

"That's exactly what I think is annoying about Novak Djokovic. I really like Novak in a lot of ways, but it annoys me that he doesn't stand by himself," Nielsen said.

"He tries to show both himself and the outside world that he is a different person than who he really is. I don't think he needs that," he added.

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Novak Djokovic became the first male player to win 23 Grand Slam titles, surpassing Rafael Nadal

Novak Djokovic pictured with his French Open trophy.

Novak Djokovic became the first male tennis player to win 23 Grand Slam singles titles.

He achieved this historic milestone at the 2023 French Open, surpassing Rafael Nadal's record of 22 and outclassing Casper Ruud in the final to secure his third Roland Garros crown.

The Serb stated in a press conference following his title win that he was incredibly proud to have won the 2023 French Open. He felt blessed to share this moment with the people who have supported him throughout his journey.

"I feel incredibly proud, fulfilled. I'm so blessed to be able to share it with my family, my kids, my wife, my parents, everyone who has been supporting me in this journey," he said.

He went on to say that he is still motivated and inspired to play his best tennis in Grand Slam tournaments because these are the ones that count the most in the sport's history.

He added that he is already looking forward to the upcoming Wimbledon Championships.

"So I still feel motivated, I still feel inspired to play the best tennis on these tournaments the most, you know, Grand Slams. Those are the ones that count, I guess, the most in history of our sport. I look forward already to Wimbledon," he said.